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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — thin
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cue — a signal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — a break
  17. cap — a hat
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lean — to rest against

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com